A Critic Thinks Next’s Latest Menu Isn’t Transcendent - Eater Chicago
"Next’s “Silk & Spice” menu is a fine experience but lacks the “transcendent quality, which this kitchen so often delivers,” to rank among the restaurant’s best efforts. Phil Vettel gives three stars to the current iteration that’s inspired by the Silk Road. A tart composition of peasant vegetables, gilded nuts, and seeds is an “enjoyable soup, but concept outpace[s] execution.” A “so-crazy-it-works” parfait features roasted banana puree, mango puree, and caviar, topped with grated Buddha’s hand, while “delicious” pork belly in Oaxacan mole is finished with squares of watermelon radish and raw onion. The final savory course is “heavy on visuals” — a color woven basket is filled with cubes of A5 wagyu and “suspended over the raw spices on a plate of clear plexiglass.” For dessert, curry sorbet is made tableside and served with other sweets showcasing curry ingredients." - Jeffy Mai
